Tip #4 Give Way

What is the difference of the street and race track?

In order to be successful on race track you need to win the race while on street in order to be successful you need to have a smooth traffic.

In Metro Manila, being ahead of other cars is better, there is no such award of arriving first at a destination.  I don’t know why.

Whenever you want to change lane, most of the cars don’t give way,  therefore at end of the intersection you can see a lot of cars struggling to make the turn from the inner lane since nobody gave way before they reached the intersection.

Bottom-line the traffic flow is still not smooth since nobody give way.

There is no value on reaching the destination first, but there is a great value on reaching the destination comfortably.

Tip #3 Mind you own Business (Wag maging Uzi)

Traffic accident is one of the common reasons why we have traffic jam.  Because it clogs one or two lanes of the road, therefore traffic built up.  Do you know what is the real reason of the traffic jam if there is an accident?

GOSSIP, people slow down and wondering what is the cause of the accident as if they can help.  Yah right,  they can only help by making the traffic jam worst. 

By looking at the above photo, you are already wondering what happened on those motorcycle riders.  People really want to know the story and others took a photo of it as shown on the above photo.

Almost all of the locations after the incident area, the road is already wide open.  Most of the time, motorists don’t have an idea on the real story of the incident.  Real story such as root cause, status of the people involve, etc.

This is not only common on accidents. There are some other scene that motorists slow down and take a look.

Someone made a traffic violation: normally people slow down and wondering what is the violation. 

By looking at similar incidents same with the photo, do you know the root cause?  Can you help the one who has trouble on the street.  Definitely NOT!  You only help to make the traffic jam worst by slowing down.

 

Picture Source:

http://autom.i.ph/blogs/autom/2008/05/22/motorcycle-accidents/

http://www.paranaque.gov.ph/news/2009/11/paranaque-is-a-traffic-discipline-zone-2/

No Littering on the Street of Metro Manila

Since time in memorial, we know that littering is prohibited anyway.  It is against our moral to litter.  Any kid knew that littering is bad for our environment.  However it is very common to litter on the streets, why?

1. It is very comfortable, since if you want to dispose something just leave it anywhere and you don’t need to carry the litter since it is not your place anyway.
2. Lack of trash cans in the city, even in malls there is a scarce of trash bins.  So who care, I rather leave my trash than look for a trash can
3. Laziness, since the street is not your place and hoping that someone will clean the streets, because we paid for there service through expensive taxes.

On the year 1999, there is the Anti Littering Resolution (99-006) by MMDA and this is not properly implemented until Sept. 16, 2010.

Provisions:

1. Littering, Illegal dumping, Illegal disposal of garbage;
2. Urinating, defecating, spitting in a public place;
3. Dirty frontage and immediate surroundings for establishment owners;
4. Improper and untimely stacking of garbage outside residence or establishment;
5. Obstruction (any dilapidated appliance, vehicle, and etc., display of merchandise, illegal structure along sidewalk);
6. Dirty public utility vehicles, or no trash can or receptacle;
7. Spilling, scattering, littering of wastes by public utility vehicles; and
8. Illegal posting or installed signage, billboards, posters, streamers and movie ads., etc.

Fine:

1. 500 to 1,000 pesos for fines, or
2. Render community service for those who cannot afford the fine

I hope that this should be implemented in the whole country.  And if we want a clean city we must follow this rule. Let’s support MMDA.

 

Photo Source: http://www3.mb.com.ph/articles/277439/mmda-reimplements-law-against-littering-nabs-100

Further Reading: http://oh-wheezers.blogspot.com/2010/09/anti-littering-law-10-things-you-should.html

Tip #2 Keep Intersection Open

Filipino drivers are normally impatient.  Green light means go, so the driver will cross the street even if the intersection is not open.  As a result, other cars can no long pass through.

I think that most of the drivers doesn’t know what keep intersection open means.

This is a common problem because driver always think about themselves and doesn’t care about other motorist.

Most people doesn’t know or doesn’t care what this sign means

Simple way on solving traffic jam in Metro Manila

Since the 90’s, Metro Manila experiencing daily traffic jams.  As years goes by it becoming worst due to the following reasons

1. Population Growth
2. Increase of car volume – since now it is easy to buy a car.  We can see car loan down payment as low as 25,000.
3. Driving Style

For the first two, as a simple Filipino we cannot do anything.  But for the driving style, we can do a lot.  The president’s order of removal of siren is a great help so local officials must act up to ease their daily problem, TRAFFIC JAM.  For us, we just need to follow simple rules in order to have a smooth traffic flow.

Tip #1 Follow the Lane

Staying on the lane is very important, because the root cause traffic jam in Metro Manila is not due to the volume but it is due to clogging the road at one area.

Current Scenario

Based on the diagram if all the vehicles who is turning left will use the left lane therefore all vehicles on the right lane can go straight without any problem.

This is very common since people think if they go first they can reach their destination earlier.